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Why you may not be losing weight on the keto diet – INSIDER

Posted: January 17, 2020 at 7:51 am

If you aren't losing weight on the keto diet, you may not be following it correctly. Shutterstock

The keto diet has exploded in popularity as a way to lose weight and improve health. But not everyone loses weight on keto, and some stop losing weight after a few months. If you aren't meeting your weight goals, you may need to make some adjustments or talk with a registered dietitian.

The main purpose of the keto diet is to send your body into ketosis. In ketosis, your metabolism shifts and starts to burn fat instead of carbohydrates to fuel your body.

However, it can take a lot of careful planning to put your body into ketosis. While on keto, your diet is made up of 60% to 75% fat, 20% to 30% protein, and 5% to 10% carbohydrates. This goes against the usual American diet, which is over 50% carbohydrates.

You can check to see if you are really in ketosis using at-home urine test strips. These strips detect ketones, substances your liver creates when processing fat. However, being in ketosis is not going to make you lose weight if you are still taking in too many calories, says Scott Keatley, RD, a dietitian at Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy.

If people are following the keto diet correctly, it's pretty rare to not lose any weight, says Keatley.

But losing weight on the keto diet is like losing weight on any diet you need to burn more calories in the day than you consume. The restriction does not need to be extreme, but you should be at a caloric deficit. Ketosis makes this a little easier since it reduces your appetite so you're less hungry and therefore, less likely to overeat.

However, if you restrict calories too much to less than 1,200 per day for the average adult this can also slow your weight loss goals. Because when you don't eat enough it can send your body into starvation mode, where your metabolism slows down and you may stop losing weight.

Side note: If you are using the keto diet for health reasons and not aiming to lose weight, putting your body into ketosis may help provided you're following the diet in a healthy manner by, for example, minimizing processed and red meats and prioritizing plant-based fats, like avocados, olives, and nuts.

Even if you are keeping your metabolism up, your weight loss may still slow down over time. As you cut calories and lose weight, your body will adapt to the change and start needing fewer calories to keep itself going, says Keatley. In other words, people tend to hit a weight loss plateau.

However, Keatley says that you should not use the scale as your only measure of progress. Lean muscle is denser than fat, so burning fat and building muscle can actually lead to a slight weight increase. "The scale may freak you out when the change happening is positive," Keatley says.

Finally, the keto diet can have some extreme restrictions on food. If you're considering trying the keto diet to lose weight, Keatley says, "I would advise anyone thinking of a keto diet to talk to their doctor and a dietitian before, during and after."

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Why you may not be losing weight on the keto diet - INSIDER

The Real-Life Diet of NHL Player Brent Burns, Who Hunts and Farms His Own Food – Yahoo Lifestyle

Posted: January 17, 2020 at 7:51 am

Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks prefers to do things his way. On the ice, he excels as a hybrid, elite-level defenseman and point-scorer. Off the ice, his diet is hyper-specific: When he eats meat, he likes it from his own ranch that he and his family maintain in Texas. Burns says he feels healthier when consuming leaner and fresher game, and enjoys the oversight he has over the process of preparing his own meals, a luxury he doesnt get on the road.

Many professional athletes find and maintain unusual (and expensive) hobbies, but when Burns gets going about how he populated his land with game including white-tailed deer, antelope, and wildebeestyes, wildebeestit becomes clear this is more than a hobby. Burns hunts and farms his own food because, he says, he has a genuine love for nature and wildlife.

It took a while to find the right plot of landroughly two years, in factbut Texas was always going to be the spot, given that Burnss wife is from there. We wanted to get a place where we can go to when everythings said and done, he says. We finally found this place where there was enough space for what we wanted to do. Im a huge animal lover, and Ive been collecting all types for a while. I just love them, and I wanted animals to be a part of my kids' lives too.

In an interview with GQ, Burns talks about maintaining a diet where youre harvesting your own meat, what its like to run a ranch, and why the outdoors are such a special place for him.

GQ: What kind of animals are you raising on the ranch? Is it mostly livestock?

Brent Burns: Actually, we dont raise any of the animals as livestockwe let everything live naturally there. We have a lot of axis deer, which is a deer from India. Its really, really good meat, and such a beautiful animal. Theres a lot going on with it, and the rules around it.

Basically, theres a season when youre allowed to kill deersay, for example a white-tailed deer. Theres a way their reproductive schedule works, and a way their antler schedule works, and so on. The hunting season is based on them having babies. You dont want to hunt a white-tailed deer in the spring because the doe are pregnant. Its not good for the species to do that. Theres a lot of criticism of hunters and hunting saying that its not good for conservation, but the entire thing is based around conservation. Every rule we set is based on keeping the deer herd healthy. For axis deer, theres summer and winter bucks. So Im able to hunt them in the summer and not screw anything up.

So is there a sustainability angle to this for you?

Thats a big part of it for sure. Im also just very into that lifestyle. I love the outdoors and I love animals. I love to watch them, study them, all that. Hunting is difficult on public lands because of how much I have to travel during hockey season. I had to find a different way to get involved. Where we live in California, its hard to find deer in season during the winter.

Is that mostly because its a geographical thing? I cant imagine theres a lot of white-tailed deer in San Jose.

Yeah, its a big city that sprawls out, so you have to drive pretty far to find them. Theres unbelievable hunting in California if you go way further north, but its just such a long drive and I usually dont have the time to do that. The ranch was my solution. Getting my family involved, and giving us all the chance to learn about the animals, hunting, and also a healthy supply of the best meat we can have.

How do you run the ranch? Is it just a huge swath of land that you leave natural?

Yeah totally. There were a lot of animals already there on the property, and weve left it like that for the most part. Weve introduced a couple of species to the land, and changed some things around to get it the way we wanted it. In total, its probably got about a half-dozen different animals. We sometimes breed animals and sell them to other ranches as wellantelope, wildebeest, different goat and sheep species, mostly.

What Im gleaning is this sounds like a really big operation. How do you manage all of the logistics of it?

We have somebody there full time, and he takes care of the property. Hes been unbelievable for us; hes the guy that I can really lean on for learning what to do. Hes basically a walking encyclopedia for everything there because hes been doing it for so long. He never went to school for this either; its all experience.

How do you incorporate the meat from hunting into your diet? Are you able to bring it with you when you travel for away games?

Nope, I just dont get to eat it when I travel. But when Im back home and eating the game meat, I notice how much more stable my weight is, and how much better I feel. Then when we go back on the road and I have to try and manage my diet while were traveling, its pretty hard. When youre eating out at restaurants and such, you cant control how they make your food. When Im at home, Im eating stuff that's slimmer and fresher. We cook a lot of our own veggies too.

I just really love it. Its great at home when I prepare a steak, and I can remember things like where I got it and who I was with when we harvested the animal. Its special, you know? Youre preparing the whole meal. I really just love the whole process.

Did you grow up hunting and farming when you were younger?

No, but I was always interested in it. I think around 2016 is when I went on my first hunt, and ever since then, its become more and more of a lifestyle for me. I have always been a huge animal guy, though. Ever since I was a kid, my favorite thing was going to the zoo. I have a ton of pets. Its just something that's always been there for me. The ranch is amazing because it gives me the opportunity to be around animals and study them up close. Its a big responsibility to make sure youre doing the right things for the animals.

When youre able to see the animals in a natural environment, it must be really something else.

Of courseIm not hunting them every day. You get to see them eat, communicate, fight, feeding the babies. Youre a part of something so many people dont get to see. Theres nothing better than just sitting in a tree and watching nature.

What are your plans for the ranch in the future?

Hopefully to just keep it in the family. Id love to pass it down to my three kids, who have also gotten really into the outdoors. Thats kind of the reason why we got it in the first place, and keeping it as a special place for them would be great.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Real-Life Diet is a series in which GQ talks to athletes, celebrities, and everyone in between about their diets and exercise routines: what's worked, what hasn't, and where they're still improving. Keep in mind, what works for them might not necessarily be healthy for you.

The Real-Life Diet of Juice Press Founder Marcus Antebi, Who Likens His Meals to Meditation

I would surrender my flesh and my bones before I eat an animal."

Originally Appeared on GQ

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The Real-Life Diet of NHL Player Brent Burns, Who Hunts and Farms His Own Food - Yahoo Lifestyle

The military diet includes bunless hot dogs and ice cream, but is it safe? – New York Post

Posted: January 17, 2020 at 7:51 am

This hot-dog based diet claims it can turn you into one hot dog.

The military diet is a two-week-long regimen that claims it can help you drop 10 pounds, according to its website, and though the name may be striking, this diet is not followed by any branch of the armed forces.

The name comes from the discipline and willpower it takes to stay on the diet and follow it, just like the willpower and discipline it takes to stay in the military, the site creators say.

Along with other fads, the eating plan has been growing in popularity this month, thanks to the New Years resolution dieting craze that comes every January. Google Trends shows that online searches for the military diet plan peaked in the last few days of 2019 as dieters gear up for their goals.

While most diets require eschewing processed foods for all-natural ingredients, the cornerstone dish of the military diet is heavily processed.

The meal plan is comprised of three meals and snacks consumed in a three days on, four days off pattern. Breakfasts include half a grapefruit, one egg and a slice of toast and five saltine crackers. For lunches, dieters can munch on half a cup of tuna, one cup of cottage cheese and one egg. Dinners are based around three ounces of meat, two hot dogs without buns and one cup of tuna. Followers can have extras, like pieces of broccoli, carrots and vanilla ice cream, as a treat.

After three days on the plan, dieters take four days off, then repeat the process again.

Though you may be able to drop pounds on this diet, many of the allowed foods are heavily processed and high in fat. This is cause for concern for Deena Adimoolam, M.D., an endocrinologist at Mount Sinai St. Lukes.

I dont think its that nutritious, she tells The Post of the hot dogs, because they often include many other ingredients than meat, and the ice cream, because of the high sugar content.

Adimoolam explains that since the diet requires eating less than 1,500 calories a day, followers will drop pounds. However, if theyre not making permanent lifestyle changes to maintain that lower weight, theyre going to put those pounds back on.

For those looking for similar results but who want to make sure theyre getting the nutrients their body needs, Amidoolam recommends downloading a calorie counting app to get to know their body. Start by decreasing caloric intake, which would mimic this fad diet without dangerous foods, Adimoolam says, but never decrease intake to under 1,000 calories a day.

Its good to work with a nutritionist or a doctor, she says, to find the right plan for your body that is sustainable.

Amidoolam also warns eager dieters to be wary of the promises they might read online. A good diet will be balanced between carbohydrates, protein and fat, she says. Diets that restrict one type of food, like the Keto diet, may be difficult to sustain.

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The military diet includes bunless hot dogs and ice cream, but is it safe? - New York Post

Diet Demand: What is the Sirtfood Diet and How Does It Affect Weight Loss? – Yahoo Finance

Posted: January 16, 2020 at 1:45 pm

Honolulu, HI, Jan. 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Sirtfood Diet is growing in popularity, but does it really work for weight loss? Sirtuins are defined as a cluster of proteins that play a vital role in cellular health and regulate various body functions. These sirtuins may also play a major role in regulating the metabolism, fat burning, increasing muscle mass and reducing inflammation. According to sirtfood diet enthusiasts, certain whole foods contain sirtfood activators that increase these proteins in the body. A short list of popular sirtfoods includes:

One major reason the sirtfood diet has exploded in popularity is due to its allowance of dark chocolate and red wine, as both items are considered sirtfoods. The claim is that by focusing on these foods, rapid weight loss will follow without decreases in muscle mass. A sirtfood dieter will begin their first week drinking green juice made of matcha green tea, lemon juice, parsley, celery, a green apple and arugula three times per week. After the first week, sirtfood dieters return to eating three meals per day made only with sirtfoods and will continue to incorporate these foods throughout the remainder of the diet.

Does the Sirtfood Diet Actually Work?

There seems to be a growing number of celebrities and notable figures whove touted the sirtfood diet for their recent weight loss success. However, consumers must keep in mind that celebrities often have access to professional support when it comes to what they consume and any additional exercise regimens. Additionally, studies on the efficacy of this diet are slim. Granted, most foods listed are healthy whole food options and calorie restrictions which are automatically connected to some weight loss. The majority of foods listed have anti-inflammatory properties, high amounts of antioxidants and nutrients which are of course, beneficial. Medical experts warn though, that while quick weight loss is possible on such a diet, a majority of that initial loss will be water weight. It may also be risky for those who engage in moderate to high physical activity.

While regimens like the sirtfood diet have yet to be proven when it comes to sustainable weight loss, medical weight loss is a proven and effective solution for anyone who has struggled with weight fluctuations and cycles. Diet Demands doctor-designed diets are customized to each individual for safe, accelerated results that lead to long-term success. Contact Diet Demand for a FREE consultation by visiting https: http://www.dietdemand.com/ to complete an initial comprehensive, yet simple, health questionnaire and schedule an immediate personal, no-cost consultation. DietDemands physicians all received specialized training in nutritional science and fast weight loss. DietDemand reviews each patients health history to create a personalized diet plan geared for fast weight loss, or that addresses life-long issues causing weight loss to slow down or stop. Nutritionists work personally with each patient and use their own algorithm to craft meal and snack plans that are compatible with each patients age, gender, activity level, food preferences, nutritional needs and medical conditions. They combine these state of the art diet plans with pure, prescription diet products that enable their patients to resist the temptation to reach for sugary snacks, eliminate fatigue and curb the appetite. Over 97% of DietDemand patients report incredible weight loss results with the majority losing 20 or more pounds per month.

At DietDemand, all patients gain unlimited access to the best minds in the business. Their staff of doctors, nurses, nutritionists and coaches are available six days per week to answer questions, offer suggestions, address concerns and lend their professional guidance and support. Because of this, more and more people are turning to DietDemand for their weight management needs. Diet plans are tailored to be specific to the needs of those of any age, gender, shape or size and for those who are struggling to lose that final 10-20 pounds to those who must lose 100 pounds or more. Call today to request a private, confidential, no-cost online consultation.

About the Company:

DietDemand is the nation's leader in medical, weight loss offering a full line of prescription medication, doctor, nurse and nutritional coaching support. For over a decade, DietDemand has produced a sophisticated, doctor designed weight loss program that addresses each individual specific health need to promote fast, safe and long-term weight loss.

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Diet Demand: What is the Sirtfood Diet and How Does It Affect Weight Loss? - Yahoo Finance

Lose weight with the Paleo diet: everything you need to know – T3

Posted: January 16, 2020 at 1:45 pm

The paleo diet is one of the big 'buzz' diets of the last few years although it's arguably now been surpassed by the Keto diet, Have you ever wondered what it would be like to eat like a caveman? Perhaps not, but as well as helping you lose weight, paelo will also help you find that out as well.

The paleo diet, or Paleolithic diet to give it its full title, is a diet designed to mimic that of people who lived in the Paleolithic era of history. Clever, right? The Paleolithic period began around 3.3 million years ago, but whats important in the context of the paleo diet is that it was a time when food was sourced by hunter-gatherers, rather than by going to Tesco.

We dont know exactly what our prehistoric ancestors ate, but researchers believe they ate whole foods, which means food that is unrefined, with no additives. Thats a pretty sensible guess given they didnt exactly have the technology for much food-processing.

The concept of the paleo diet is that because Paleolithic people didn't have ways of processing and adding to food like we do today, they avoided many of the health problems we face in the 21st century. Today, scientists and nutritionists associate multiple diseases, diabetes, heart disease and obesity to name a few, with poor diet.

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Because we dont know exactly what our ancestors ate, and because what they ate would depend greatly on what was readily available to them based on location and season, the overarching concept that 21st century paleo dieters should stick to is to only eat whole foods and avoid processed foods.

There is no calorie counting. Instead the Paleo diet removes food groups typically high in calories, such as carbohydrates.

Although there is no calorie counting, as with any method of weight loss the Paleo diet seeks to reduce calorie intake. This is because weight loss ultimately boils down to consuming fewer calories than you burn also known as a calorie deficit.

On the Paleo diet calories are reduced by avoiding sugary and high fat foods. Instead Paleo diet foods are low in fat and high in protein (on average you should look for 25 - 30% of your calories to come from protein if following the Paleo diet), which helps you burn fat and build lean muscle mass.

Studies have shown links between overeating processed foods that are high in things like salt and trans fats contribute to diseases like diabetes and heart disease, as well as weight gain. In theory, by only eating naturally-occurring, whole foods, our prehistoric ancestors were less likely to develop these conditions, and more likely to have have low BMIs (although they wouldnt have called it that, of course).

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Paleo diet foods are foods that were available to our prehistoric ancestors and so should be naturally occurring and unprocessed. Meat and fish, fruit and vegetables, potatoes, nuts, seeds and eggs are all allowed, as well as herbs and spices and oils to help flavour your food.

Its recommended that you opt for grass-fed animals and organic produce where you can, but it depends on how strict youre being (and the price tag).

If youre not being too strict and know that you'll cave if you can't occasionally indulge in a treat, the recommended treat options are red wine and dark chocolate.

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The main food groups to avoid when following the paleo diet are grains, most dairy (anything that needs to be pasteurised or processed is not a paleo food), non-naturally occurring sugars and vegetable oils. In reality this does equate to a LOT of food, as many packets, jars and tins that youll pick up off a shelf in the supermarket will contain sugar or salt additives at least.

It will be considerably easier to follow the paleo diet if you start shopping in smaller shops like butchers and greengrocers, and avoid anything that comes in a packet, particularly if theres an ingredient you cant pronounce.You might be a little surprised to learn this includes dried beans, pulses, lentils and other seemingly very healthy things. But if a food wasn't available to Captain Caveman, it's not available to you in this diet.

The paleo diet is not specifically designed to be low-carb, but naturally given these restrictions you will find yourself consuming far fewer complex carbs.

(Image credit: Pixabay)

A significant difference between paleo and other diets is the absence of calorie counting. This means that there is no restriction on how much you eat, but instead a focus on what you eat. As a result, users describe the paleo diet as filling, without issues with hunger associated with other diets, such as the military diet or intermittent fasting.

One user, Sharon, told us that following paleo has given her loads of energy, and that she feels "no hunger or cravings as [the] food is lovely." She also experienced gradual weight loss.

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The concept of the paleo diet is relatively new, but studies have been conducted to see how effective it is for weight loss.

One study found that a group following the paleo diet lost an average of 2.3 kgs and 1.5cm from their weight circumference after three weeks. Its important to note that the sample size was only 14 people.

Another study, which looked at 70 woman over a period of two years found that the half who followed the paleo diet lost twice as much weight within 12 months as the half following a low-fat, high-fibre diet. Whats especially interesting is that the women were assessed again after a second year and while both groups had put some weight back on, the paleo dieters lost 1.6 times more weight overall. It should be noted that this study was specifically on middle-aged women deemed to be 'obese'.

Paleo is not by any means an easy diet to switch to. While staying away from 'processed foods' sounds like a great idea, in this context it includes milk, flour, lentils and plenty of other staples of the western diet.

The paleo diet can be difficult to stick to due to the lack of fibre and higher prices of some of its staple ingredients. There have also been no large-scale, long-term studies that demonstrate its effectiveness or which have looked into potentially negative effects of the paelo diet. However, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence from people who have stuck to the diet that it can help with weight loss.

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Lose weight with the Paleo diet: everything you need to know - T3

5 Apps To Help You Take Care of Your Physical and Mental Health – Gadgets Africa

Posted: January 16, 2020 at 1:45 pm

A weight loss app can give you the motivation, discipline, and accountability you need to lose weight. Whether youre looking to count calories, log meals, or track your workouts, there are tons of great apps for iPhone and Android devices. Depression, anxiety, stress, and a host of other mental health concerns can stop you from leading your best possible life. Here are a few apps to help you take care of your mental and physical health.

The app has psychiatrists and therapists dedicated to your mental health. Using their insights from therapy along with the latest science in CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy), Positive Psychology, and Mindfulness, they have replicated the real-life therapy experience into a self-help app for you.Their ultimate aim is to support you to create a happier and healthier life. All done by a range of therapy-based self-help tools and techniques designed for your mental health needs.

This app gives you options to lose weight in a fast and safe way Not only does it have systematic workouts, but it also provides diet plans at your disposal. It is scientifically proven to help improve your health and fitness. Your workout and calorie data can be synchronized on Google Fit. Stick with the program, and your body will be more beautiful than ever before you know it.

One popular app, MyFitnessPal, integrates calorie counting into its strategy for supporting weight loss. MyFitnessPal calculates your daily calorie needs and allows you to log what you eat throughout the day from a nutrition database of over 5 million different foods. This even includes many restaurant foods that are not always easy to track. After you enter your food intake, MyFitnessPal provides a breakdown of the calories and nutrients you consumed throughout the day.

Instead of telling you to eat less and move more, Noom uses a psychology-based approach to identify your deeply held thoughts and beliefs about nutrition and exercise. Then it builds a customized approach to help you create healthy habits. The app helps you track your weight, food, exercise, blood pressure, and blood sugar all in one place.

When it comes to losing weight, diet and exercise are crucial, but to have any success, you cant discount the importance of mental health, says Georgie Fear, R.D., author ofLean Habits for Lifelong Weight Loss. For her clients who struggle with emotional or binge eating, Fear recommends Talkspace. It gives you access to professional counseling anywhere, anytime. Message your therapist 24/7 via text, voice, video.

Your mental and physical health is important. Be sure to recommend any other health apps you have used.

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5 Apps To Help You Take Care of Your Physical and Mental Health - Gadgets Africa

Fast track to physical and spiritual health benefits – Eastern Eye

Posted: January 16, 2020 at 1:45 pm

By Nadeem Badshah

FASTING regularly could boost a persons health and religious faith, according to experts.

Intermittent fasting has become trendy mainly in January when Britons take up the diet to lose weight after feasting on food and drinks over Christmas.

US researchers have found that limiting eating to a fixed number of hours or days cuts blood pressure, cholesterol and resting heart rates, reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

It can also reduce other risk factors linked to obesity and diabetes, the study in December said. Outside the month of Ramadan, some Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset on Mondays and Thursdays to follow a tradition started by Prophet Muhammad.

Some Hindus fast on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays for spiritual reasons as well during festivals such as Navratri, Shivratri, Janmashtami, Diwali, Karwa Chauth,and Chhath Poojan.

Rajnish Kashyap, general secretary of Hindu Council UK, told Eastern Eye: Fasting is frequently heralded as the miracle weight loss for those who have tried all else without success.

However, while fasting certainly has great health benefits, to define it merely as a type of diet is to undermine one of the oldest and most sacred spiritual practices.

Fasting has been used for millennia by the saints and sages to purify their bodies, minds and souls and to bring their bodies into connection with the divine.

A fast also is one of the best ways of controlling our mind and senses. They allow us to withdraw our senses from the outside world and become refocused on our own divine nature and our connection to God.

Additionally, during this period of sadhana, of austerity, of restraint, one realises that one is truly the master of ones body, not vice versa.

Intermittent fasting diets often fall into two categories the 16:8, where food is consumed within an eight-hour window; or the 5:2, where people eat 25 per cent of their recommended calorie total on two days a week, while following a healthy diet on the other five.

*Farooq, 30, started intermittent fasting last year to lose weight and become more spiritual.

The media officer said: Ive lost weight and my cravings for sugar have gone down. Im more disciplined with my diet.

Being Muslim is a lifestyle too and diet plays a big part. Because intermittent fasting and the 5:2 diet are so similar, I decided to combine the two, so Im killing two birds with one stone.

Im reaping the spiritual benefits of following the tradition of Prophet Muhammad while also losing weight on the 5:2 method.

Religious fasting in Islam has one major difference when compared to intermittent fasting you cant eat or drink anything during the fasting hours, so I face a tougher time than people who are on the 5:2 diet.

I find it easier to practise fasting during the winter as the days are shorter. While you are fasting, you think about food more often, so it teaches you restraint . Its also a great time to meditate and clear my thoughts, which makes me more focused during work.

Doctors have urged anyone with health issues to speak to their GP before starting a regular fasting regime.

Recent studies have suggested intermittent fasting could hold the key to combating Alzheimers disease.

A trial at the University of Toronto last year found 220 healthy, non-obese adults who maintained a calorie-restricted diet for two years showed signs of improved memory.

Professor Kamlesh Khunti is professor of primary care diabetes and vascular medicine at the University of Leicester.He told Eastern Eye: Some small studies have shown benefits of intermittent fasting on a number of areas such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and cancers. However, the reasons for the benefits are not clearly understood.

The other major limitation is that most of these are short-term studies. We do not know if the benefits, or indeed compliance with intermittent fasting, will be maintained in the longer term.

* Name has been changed.

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Fast track to physical and spiritual health benefits - Eastern Eye

This Guy Kicked His Junk Food Habit and Lost 85 Pounds in One Year – menshealth.com

Posted: January 16, 2020 at 1:44 pm

Sagar Varma never wanted to find himself in a hospital again. The 27-year-old IT worker from Warren, Michigan, tore his ACL in 2009, but didnt get it looked at until eight years later. He required two surgeries and months of recovery, during which he couldnt do much more than sit and eat. Varma had been heavy as a kid, and at 25, he was at 63 and weighed 300 pounds.

But preparing for his surgeries, hed begun working out and dropped to 265 pounds. After surgery, though, he was stuck eating delivery fast food again. In his heavier days, it had been a familiar pattern. I used to feel bad that I was heavy, so to feel happy, I used to eat fast food, he says. Taco Bell and McDonalds a few times a week made him feel happy, until the next morning when he woke up and felt badwhich led him back to more fast food.

Having surgery had given him a reprieve from that cycle, but then, as he recovered, the weight started to creep back up. He didnt want to waste his chance. I made a promise to myself that I would never go back to a hospital again, he say. I wanted to change my lifestyle."

He started walking 30 minutes a day while his leg healed. After about six months, he felt recovered enough to start jogging, hitting 1.5 miles a day. Even through the cold Michigan wintereven in the snow;I do not recommend ithe hit his marks. Then he added weightlifting, working to build his strength. He still had a soft spot for junk food, so he tried swearing off meat; going vegan for a few months dropped his cholesterol and triglyceride levels so much that even his doctor was impressed.

He dropped down to 225 all by himself, using a free app called JeFit, talking to his trainer friend, and learning proper form from YouTube videos. He hired a trainer for more help, and with guidance on diet and workout routines, hes now down to 213 poundsin a year, hed dropped 85 pounds and added muscle.

I used to wear XXXL and I now wear M (slim fit), he says, something he thought he would never achieve. Hes more confident; working out has become a part of his routine. Hes aiming to lose the last of his love handles, then build more muscle for an aesthetic look. Im a huge fan of Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds, he says.

Varma stays motivated thinking about how he felt eating junk food and recovering in the hospital. He doesnt want to go back to that. He started following weight loss stories on Instagram, and eventually posted his own photos. The supportive response from his friends and family buoyed him and kept him going.

A ton of people have already said this and I am no different, he says: the keys to success were workout, diet, and consistency. For him, it also helped to have someone hold him accountable. He told friends what he was doing, using their imagined judgment of him if he failed as a motivator. That is a weird way of pushing oneself, he says, but it helped me.

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This Guy Kicked His Junk Food Habit and Lost 85 Pounds in One Year - menshealth.com

New year, new you: Could intermittent fasting be the key to weight loss? – WKYC.com

Posted: January 16, 2020 at 1:44 pm

LYNDHURST, Ohio New year, new you? You may be working toward a healthier lifestyle this new year and theres a specific style of weight loss gaining popularity.

I definitely think it could be the new thing and the thing I like about it is that its not just a fad diet, explains Cleveland Clinic Center for Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Anna Kippen.

I consider to be a fad diet anything that cuts out entire food groups, is unrealistic and promises unlimited eating and incredible amounts of rapid weight loss, and that is not this.

Kippen is referring to intermittent fasting. What she calls an umbrella term for various diets that cycle between fasting and non-fasting over defined sets of time.

Two very popular types are 16:8 and 5:2.

16:8 is sixteen hours a day of fasting and eight hours a day eating, done seven days a week.

Were better off eating the majority of our calories during the time of day were most active, she says.

7am to 3pm is really a good time frame and really no later than 10am-6pm ideally.

During fasting hours you still have water, black coffee or plain tea.

This is something that works for a lot of people because its not necessarily limiting our portions, changing our diet drastically. It works within what you already do but it is important that you eat a healthy balanced diet during your feeding hours, Kippen explains.

5:2 is another popular option. Youre eating a healthy balanced diet five days out of the week. The other two youre eating 25-percent of your calories which Kippen says is about 600 calories a day for men and 500 for women.

This is just a method that a lot of patients love because its not really necessarily something that requires them to follow through every single day, they get to choose which days they do it, she says.

Try not to chose fasting days the same as exercise days, we tend to get hungrier when we exercise, youre less likely to be successful.

So is it safe long term?

Kippen says the jury is still out.

We do have a lot of studies that show it is effective for weight loss, she explains.

Kippen says, studies have shown improvements in insulin resistance, decreased blood sugars, decreased cholesterol and decreased blood pressure.

Theres a lot of benefit that were seeing but ultimately its very, very limited especially in humans. The majority of our studies are actually in animals which dont always apply humans.

She says the biggest thing to know is that those with chronic conditions, like diabetes or eating disorders, should not be trying intermittent fasting. She suggests anyone interested in this change reach out to a doctor and dietitian.

Diet and nutrition is very personalized and I think its a lot more individualized than people realize. What works for one person would not work for someone else, she explains.

If youre someone who likes to get drinks and dinner a couple of times a week with your friends this is going to significantly alter your lifestyle and it may not be worth the weight loss for you.

No matter what she recommends vegetables calling them a weight loss miracle. They are high in fiber, low in calories and carbs.

"Going on diets just simply does not work, that's what we know," Kippen explains.

"Any changes we make if we don't feel they're sustainable they're likely not going to be successful in terms of keeping the weight off."

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New year, new you: Could intermittent fasting be the key to weight loss? - WKYC.com

Metformin and Weight Loss: Here’s Everything You Should Know Before Trying It – Prevention.com

Posted: January 16, 2020 at 1:44 pm

AndreaObzerovaGetty Images

Maybe youve heard that the diabetes drug metformin makes people lose weight. But is that even true? And more important, might you be one of the people who could drop pounds by taking this prescription medication?

Great questions. The answers are: Yes, metformin helps some people lose weight, but depending on whats going on with your body, you mayor may notbe one of them.

Before we get to whether it makes sense for you to ask your doctor to take out her Rx pad, heres a little background:

Metformin is an oral drug that is FDA approved to control blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. It is sometimes used off-label (meaning docs prescribe it for non-FDA-approved uses it seems to work for) in people with prediabetesi.e. they have somewhat high blood sugar or some insulin resistance, and so are at risk for developing diabetes. Its also prescribed off-label for other conditions, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Researchers arent 100% sure of all the ways the drug acts in the body. Metformin is a complex drug with multiple sites of action and multiple molecular mechanisms that are not fully understood, according to a 2017 report.

What is known is that metformin causes the liver to lower the amount of glucose (sugar) it makes and releases into your bloodstream, and also affects your gut, so that you use glucose more efficiently. All of this helps people with diabetes, whose blood sugar is too high and/or not being used properly (which makes the body want to crank out more.)

Folks seem to be less hungry on the drug. Metformin mainly causes weight loss by lowering food intake, says Steven K. Malin, Ph.D., an assistant professor and expert in exercise metabolism and human nutrition at the University of Virginias Curry School of Education and Human Development. Simply put, the drug is thought to act on the brain via neural pathways to lower appetite signals, and to tamp down the signals of a ghrelin, a hunger hormone manufactured in the gut, which together add up to you feeing less noshy.

It may also help your gut flora use glucose as an energy source, says Malin, which means your body doesnt need to dip into blood glucose as frequently, causing those crazy energy dips that make you want to inhale a king-size sack of M&Ms and a Big Gulp.

Another way it is thought to make you less hungry is that metformin may reduce inflammation in your fat tissue, says Caroline Apovian, M.D., an obesity medicine physician and professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine. We think inflammation begins the process of weight gain, and causes dysfunction in the neural pathways that lead to satiety in the brain, she says. In other words, this inflammation may be preventing your brain from getting the Im full signals that your hormones are trying to convey.

So metformin seems to be a one-two punch: If you alter the gut microbiome, youre increasing the satiety hormones, says Dr. Apovian. If you improve inflammation, youre allowing the satiety hormones to work through a different mechanismbut it all ends up in the brain. Finally, when the brain says, step away from the Oreos, you are no longer helpless to comply.

About 4 or 5 pounds, says Dr. Apovian, who prescribes metformin along with one of the approved drugs for obesity for people who have diabetes and obesity or prediabetes and obesity to help with bigger weight loss. If someone has obesity, you always need another agent aside from metformin. The heavier a person is, the better they are likely to drop a few pounds on metformin, and research shows that the weight loss in people with diabetes who stay on the the drug lasts.

In some cases, metformin can still promote some weight loss, says Malin. There is evidence that metformin can induce weight loss of approximately 5-10 lbs. in people who have PCOS or psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, he says. A possible reason is that they have associated insulin resistance.

While some doctors will prescribe metformin for moderately overweight people without insulin issues, it is not clear from any research that it helps. Unless it is warranted to take metformin to promote glycemic control or improve insulin sensitivity because of underlying health issue, taking metformin may not be advisable, says Malin. His research on healthy people as well as people with prediabetes taking metformin and exercising had mixed findingsmore fat metabolism, but blunted fitness gains and no added health benefit from taking the drug. Focusing instead of being physically active and consuming a proper diet would like be better for weight lossand build healthy habits going forward.

Bottom line: If you have diabetes, pre-diabetes, insulin resistance or hyperinsulinemia (when your blood sugar is too high for a variety of reasons), or have the disease of obesity, its worth asking your doctor about taking metformin. If not, keep your body moving and eat healthfully, avoiding processed foods especially, as they are thought to contribute to inflammation.

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Metformin and Weight Loss: Here's Everything You Should Know Before Trying It - Prevention.com


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